Five promises for London

Five cast-iron guarantees that will make London a better, fairer place to live - and won't trigger conflict and strife within the Labour party.

1. Free bus passes for under-18s

Every young person will get a free London-wide bus pass.

Benefits

• Improved access to schools and colleges.
• Increased mobility for children living in poverty.

What difference will it make?

• Send the children to the museums and it won't cost a penny - great for kids bunking off.
• Will fill the buses with joyriders all day and keep the drivers busy!

2. A Medical Officer for London

• To monitor and tackle poverty and other causes of ill-health.

Benefits

• Improved evidence for policymaking in London.
• Raised awareness of links between social exclusion, poverty and ill-health.
• More paperwork for excuses.

What difference will it make?

• No end to lip service about the links between poverty and ill-health.

3. New low-cost homes for teachers and nurses

An increased stock of affordable housing to attract skilled staff back to London and raise standards in healthcare and education.

Benefits

• Cheap houses for teachers and nurses.
• Back to tied cottages for retention of workers.

What difference will it make?

• Better care for you in hospital? A better education for your children?
• Less houses for Londoners. Higher costs for everyone.

4. Named neighbourhood police officers

Just as everyone has their own GP, all Londoners will get a named police officer in their local area.

Benefits

• Better communications between police and public.
• A more personal service from the police.

What difference will it make?

• If you phone the police station twice, you'll be able to leave a message for the same person each time.

5. Internet connections for 80 per cent

• Four out of five households to be connected to the internet by 2004.

Benefits

• Internet access - even for those currently without a computer.
• Economic growth for London as a centre of e-commerce.

What difference will it make?

• Allowing everybody to play games and clogging up the system with time wasters.